Engineers Teaching Algebra Returns to Parker with Love

Mark Love, an engineer with international experience in transportation systems, returned to Parker to work with the 9th grade. Love is the founder of Engineers Teaching Algebra, a program that brings an engineer into the classroom to encourage the pursuit of advanced math and science studies.

Love led multiple classes through a hands-on lesson in designing safe traffic patterns through intersections wherein students used algebraic reasoning and proportions to figure out how long, and in which order, to allot green light times in three- and four-way intersections. The final challenge Love presented to students involved developing safe and efficient phasing for a 16-lane intersection.

Students had a blast applying the math they have learned to tackle relevant, intricate and exciting real-world problems. Most importantly, students learned about the power of their minds and how calculators—useful though they may be—could never replace the creative thinking and inference-making of which they are capable.